Millionaires Who Hate Democrats and the Democrats Who Love Them

UPDATE Below

Does anybody really believe that Gov. Steve Beshear, Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer think that the very best person to represent Kentucky in the U.S. Senate is Bruce Lunsford?

Of course not. I doubt they even think Bruce Lunsford is a Democrat. Or care.

Beshear, Reid and Schumer don't even think Lunsford is the strongest candidate Kentucky Democrats can put up against Mitch McConnell.

But they nevertheless want Lunsford to be the Democratic nominee for Mitch McConnell's Senate seat. Why?

(Answer after the jump.)


Because Lunsford has the most money.

Here's the really stupid part: Twice in the last five years, Bruce Lunsford has spent millions of his own money in races for statewide office.

And lost. Lost huge. Both times.

In 2003, he wasted $8 million on negative TV ads, then dropped out when polls showed him still coming in third - if not fourth - in the gubernatorial primary. Lunsford then added insult to injuries he inflicted on the Democratic nominee by endorsing the republican, who went on to win in November.

In the 2007 gubernatorial primary, Lunsford was touted as the only hope for poor Democrats up against a well-funded republican incumbent. He spent more millions, and still lost to Steve Beshear by 20 points.

That's quite a record of humiliating failure. Perhaps if Lunsford were a loyal, dedicated Democrat who had contributed tens of thousands of dollars to worthy Democratic candidates over the years, he might even deserve a third chance.

Lunsford, however, has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to republicans. He has proudly advertised his close, personal relationship to republicans like Ernie Fletcher, Anne Northup and - wait for it - Mitch McConnell.

Two-time loser, multi-millionaire who can't buy a single lousy election, criminal, democratic traitor, Mitch's BFF: this is the person your Democratic "leaders" think should carry the Democratic flag into battle against Mitch McConnell.

I am sick and fucking tired of hearing supposedly sentient Democrats whine about Mitch's $11 million "war chest."

Here's the truth about Mitch's money: It has taken him five years to accumulate $11 million. Five years during most of which he was the third-most powerful politician in the country.

Last year, in just the nine months between February and November, Steve Beshear - a has-been Democrat challenging an incumbent republican in a small, red state - raised$9.5 million. And won.

An unknown, underdog democrat raised 90 percent of what Mitch raised in one-sixth the time.

If a genuinely strong Democratic nominee for Senate can't raise at least $10 million to beat the third-most-hated Republican in the country, then Democrats should just concede the entire 2008 ballot right now.

But of course a genuinely strong Democratic nominee like Andrew Horne will raise much more than Bruce Lunsford is willing to spend on an election he knows he can't win.

An election that - $10 million or no - Andrew Horne can and will win.

UPDATE, 4:15 p.m.: Apparently the pro-Lunsford forces are way more stupider than I thought - they're pushing Bruce even though he claims he will not spend his millions on the race to beat Mitch. Huh? PageOneKentucky has the details.

Cross-posted at BlueGrassRoots.